The only way to deal with fake friends is to move them out of your circle of influence, entirely.

The only way to reach your biggest goals is to replace fake friends with a network of like-minded friends that support your efforts and encourage you.

Why Fake Friends Are A Bad Influence

A study published in PLOSOne discussed the influence of peer groups on new behaviors and that a lack of reciprocity in friendships has a large impact on our own behavior.

What this study found was that the participants ranked a high expectation of reciprocity in their friendships, but when actually measured, half of those friendship were considered non-reciprocal.

This asymmetry means that one of you is investing more than the other, and yields a large impact on the ability of friends to influence behavior.

Research out of Tel Aviv University looked at 600 friendships and found that 95% of people thought they were in reciprocal friendships (two-way friendships) when in reality, “50% of those polled matched up in the bidirectional friendship category”.

Dr. Shmueli, who conducted the research, says this is significant because of the power of influence inherent in friendships.

In terms of encouraging healthy adoption of habits — in this case, exercise — reciprocity matters. “Those pressured by reciprocal friends exercised more and enjoyed greater progress than those with unilateral friendship ties.”

Not just for influencing good habits and behaviors, friendships influence our overall levels of happiness and health.

Though we live in a culture that trumps family over friendship, research out of the University of Michigan, and others, suggests the opposite.

In 2 studies on happiness and health, with ratings from over 270,000 participants from almost 100 countries, both family and friendships were linked to increased health and happiness, however, only friendships proved the stronger influence over health and happiness as people got older.

In a second study, the influence of strained friendships led to increased reports of chronic illness, and where friendships were healthy, survey participants ranked higher in happiness.

The idiom that you become like the 5 people you spend the most time with also means you become happier, healthier, and as successful as the 5 people you spend the most time with.

Their inability to focus and get gritty for their goals — or identify any goals at all — is leeching your valuable mental energy and focus so that you can’t reach yours.

And, these ones sabotage you by doing everything they can to make you more like them.

So, they don’t ever have to change.

You… not reaching your goals… makes them look good.

You’re not doing them any favors.

And, you’re likely not far enough in your own success to be giving to these charity cases.

Sounds harsh, but in the end, it comes down to them or you.

Your goals, your success, and all the good things you want to do are being held back by toxic friends, negative people, and manipulative acquaintances.

Your energy is sapped by them, and your success is crippled by them.

You might think that keeping your less successful friends around is doing them a favor.

That your strength, positivity, good example, and energy, are helping them.

But, the reality is that you’re feeding into other people’s lives at the expense of your own.

If you have friends that aren’t pulling their weight… cut ‘em loose.

The people you spend time with have influence in your life. They can help you accelerate to the finish line, or they can be dead weight. No matter how strong you think you are, you’re not immune to the impact of others. No one is. It’s time to take a look at your friendships and identify which ones are fake, and which ones are real. Who’s for you and who is holding you back? If your goals and your happiness are important enough to you, you’ll start being deliberate with your friendships. You’ll actively seek like-minded goal-setters and leaders to connect with and stop coasting along with fake friends that are keeping you from your biggest achievements.

To learn more about how Fake Friends Are Sabotaging Your Success, and to get instant access to exclusive training videos, case studies, insider documents, and my private online network, get on the wait list to create your Escape Plan and Achieve Intelligent Alignment.